Four Futures
by Emmarlene
Summary: "I watched the girl come forward. She looked nervous – hardly surprising, as my decision would shape her life at Hogwarts." Hermione Granger's Sorting from the Sorting Hat's point of view. One-shot.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

"Granger, Hermione."

I watched the girl come forward, blushing slightly under the gazes of the other students. She looked nervous – hardly surprising, as my decision would shape her life at Hogwarts.

I was set down on her head, her bushy hair tickling my brim.

"What do we have here?" I questioned, using my traditional greeting. Without waiting for the girl to answer, I looked into her mind. There was intelligence there, certainly, and a hint of stubbornness. She had ambition, too, and loyalty as well. A possible match for any of the Houses.

I detested cases like this. For the thousandth time I wondered why the Founders hadn't simply chosen to remain as ghosts, instead of saddling_ me_ with the job of sorting students.

I could see four different paths for this girl; four different futures laid out in red, yellow, blue and green. They weren't true futures – I had no gift of foresight. No, they were merely the product of my imagination, combined with the memory of past students.

I remembered all the students I had sorted – their names, personalities, Houses and lives. I used the past to shape the future, working from my mistakes, Sorting students into the correct Houses.

This girl was a puzzle, but I had dealt with puzzles before.

I considered her futures:

Yellow.

Hufflepuff.

I see her grown to womanhood, laughing, talking, teaching others.

In Hufflepuff, she will use her cleverness to help others. Her stubbornness will remain, but she will become more patient, more accepting. She will defend her friends and help those less fortunate. She will work hard and achieve many great things, accepting her achievements modestly, humbly.

An admirable future.

And yet…

I changed to the next future:

Green.

Slytherin.

Again, I see her grown, but changed. Her eyes are cold, her face set in rigid lines.

She is Muggleborn, I know, but there have been Muggleborn Slytherins before.

Her life as a Slytherin will be a difficult one. She will be an outsider in her own House, at least at first. She is too stubborn to break, but it will be hard on her. In response, she will become cunning, ruthless, trusting only herself. Her resourcefulness will serve her well, and her ambition, her drive, will ensure that she becomes powerful.

I see a dark future after Hogwarts. A future of revenge, seeking knowledge best kept hidden, driven by a desire to be too powerful for anyone to hurt her again.

A powerful future, certainly, but dark.

The next future:

Blue.

Ravenclaw.

Again, she is grown. I see her at a table, frowning over a book, alone.

In Ravenclaw, her intelligence will be almost unmatched. She will strive to best the best, thriving because of the competition. Her stubbornness, her tendency to be narrow-minded, will be tempered. But she will be alone, with books in the place of friends.

She will be as bright as any of the best Ravenclaws, but still…

I turn to the last future:

Red.

Gryffindor.

She is a woman grown, a champion for all those who are mistreated.

In Gryffindor she will become brave. This, combined with her intelligence and determination, will make her an almost unstoppable force. She will uphold what she believes to be right, achieving great things. She will be brave, but her intellect will keep her from becoming rash.

Another powerful future.

Of course, these visions were extremes; idealized versions of what the four founders represented. And yet, all with a grain of truth.

All this took place before the girl had time to formulate a coherent thought.

I heard the underlying chant of "Gryffindor, Gryffindor, Gryffindor" that echoed throughout her mind. Interesting.

"With your intelligence, you could go far in Ravenclaw," I said to her, "but Gryffindor would suit you as well, I think."

I felt her excitement. "Gryffindor, please, Sorting Hat."

"Not Ravenclaw?"

I felt her wavering. She knew that she was clever, and being Sorted into Ravenclaw would confirm that, but she wanted something more. I watched as thoughts of great witches and wizards flashed through her mind – most from Gryffindor. I felt her desire for recognition, to be something more than just another intelligent Ravenclaw.

I didn't have to Sort her into the House that she wanted, of course. I considered my options again. What would be best for her, for the school, for the world?

I felt her waiting, worrying, trying not to show it. I twitched slightly, still pondering.

"Either one would suit you. Either one would make you great."

Her four futures flashed through my mind again, and I decided.

"You've chosen a House, and so have I. GRYFFINDOR!"

I shouted the last word out to the hall, and watched as the table on the far right erupted into cheers, welcoming their newest member.

"Thank you," she whispered in her mind, and then McGonagall lifted me off her head. I watched as she ran to the Gryffindor table.

My mind was full of doubts; it always was, after a Sorting. How would Hermione Granger's life be different if she was in Ravenclaw?

I put my worries to the back of my mind as Professor McGonagall called out the next name.

Another student.

Another four futures.

Another life-changing choice.

**A/N: Just a short one-shot about Hermione's Sorting – my head-canon of how the Sorting Hat figures things out. Thanks for reading, and reviews are welcome as always!**


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